9. It All Changed For Renaissance Men

The Renaissance ushered in a different set of attitudes. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, under the influence of Stoic and other classical authors, it became essential for elite men to command their emotions, especially in public. Civility and decorum demanded self-control, even in the most distressing circumstances; if a man could not govern himself, how could he be capable of governing others? This new culture applied primarily to aristocrats and gentlemen; those without education or ‘breeding’ were not expected to possess such self-control.